The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-10-27
4 PLEASANT HOLIDAY.
The Oak Ridge Academy Fakes II Trip
to Pilot Mountain.
Especial Cor STATE CHEONICLE.1

Especial Cor STATE CHEONICLE.l
OAK RIDGE, N. G., Oct. -, 1SS..-The
students of this Institution enioyed their
accustomed mid term holiday in a very
unusual way yesterday. The PRINCIPALS,
Messr6. J. y. and NJ. Ii. Holt, had char
tered a train on the G.. f. l., y. y. l.. K.
from Summertield to the Pilot Mountain. "A
distance of 40 or 30 miles, and the whole
school and a number Of friends boarded
the train at an early hour aud sped away
to the point of destination All of this
part Of the road over which We went has
Deen Dulit within year a. d all the vii
lages along the route show signs of I'M
provement and energy. Tie road passes
Stokesdale, Bellows Greek Walnut Cove.
the old town of Germanton and Dalton.
1t runs a part OF the way up the town
fork whose rich bottom la Is have long
been celebrated for their {, IN producing
qualities, the road skirts tie Sauratowu
mountains and penetrateS /, fine country.
The day was all that cOud 4 be desired;
slight frost on the night before had made
the air Just crisp enough to he delightful.
The woods We're aglow with ihe brightness
OF October coloring. The Gums, maple,
oaks, hickories, and poplar fairly biased
and all was life Oh board. The train, con
tanning about 200, reached the nearest
point to the Pilot at about 9 80 IT, IN, and
then began the days pleasure Most of
the students put off for the ascent afoot,
the mountain being about two miles dis
tant. The older heads preferred to save
themselves and to ride as far as possible
III the wagons, buggies, &c, that were
provided. The first polut of destination
was the spring, some half mile below the
top, a large, cold spring with water
enough, as some one expressed it, ito
supply a camp meeting" 1t is fully a
mile from where the ascent begins to this
point, a half a mile of which must be made
on foot. Here a fine basket pic mic was
enjoyed preparatory to making the final
struggle for the top. While dinner was
in progress and the straggers were drop
ping up to the spring, the party was more
than surprised to see about two dozen Of
the more adventurous returning from the
pinnacle, having already made the first
ascent. After the dinner had been
eaten all the party pushed up the
| mountain but with unequal speed. Six
hundred yards of almost perpendicular
ascent, maae by pulling up by roots and
shrubbery and resting every thirty seconds,
brought the party to the pinnacle. There
is nothing like this elsewhere in North
Carolina. 1t is an almost circular rock or
mass of rocks about five hundred yards in
! circuit and rising perpendicular two hun
| urea ltct, lOOhlli3 IIhc SOME great castle,
| the ascent Of this is difficult and if YOU
| have not a steady nerve is dangerous
! Many who 90 do not attempt it, OF a
| party of six hundred from Greensboro a
week or two ago only sixty or seventy at
| tempted It, But 80 per cent. of our party
made the ascent and from the top had
! one OF the finest views to be seen III the
State. To the North and West stretches the
long line of the Blue Ridge from beyond
| the pinnacles of the Dan to Mt Mitchell:
| to the East may be seen the Sauratown,
! Moore'S Knob and the valley of the Dan
River stretching away towards the sea; to
the South lies the vast Piedmont Plain,
across which is seen the beautiful Ya1kin,
gimmering and flashing III the sunlight.
The small town of Mt. Airy is to be seen
Nesting at the foot of the Blue Ridge
waiting for the advent of the railroad
| when it is destined to be in reality the
"Whte City of the Mountains" The 10
calities Of Winston, Gadkinvile, Dobson
and dozens of other towns and villages
come within the range of the vision.
The day was spent variously. The ge-
Ology class had a chance to utilize their
knowledge and to give opportunity to Their
lmaginations, some climbed the highest
chestnut trees on the pinnacle and came
away with well-flled pockets, there was
oOlHo IiHio nPciI dloo III Id. ilS uuc lOuDua
tions for future partnership enterprises
AT 1870 p. N. the steam whistle an
nounced our departure, and as the train
gllded away the lonely Pilot was left stand
ing about where we found him in tn,
morning, seeming sad that he too coul(
not come with so good natured and pleas
ant party, but proud that he had at leas
shown himself in his best garb of COURT,
crimson and regal purple. May his shadow
never grow less!
ONE or THEN.
Rupture radically cured, ais
} pile tumors and fstu9. Pamphlet of par
ticularS 10 cents in stamns World,r ~